The invention relates to a cleaning device for a piping system of a whirlpool tub, the piping system having one or more outlet valves preferably disposed in the bottom region of the tub for the supply of water and/or air into the tub interior.
Cleaning devices for the piping system of a whirlpool tub having one or more outlet valves for supplying water and/or air into the interior of the tub are known, for example, from West German Utility Model 84-16,982. The tub of the Utility Model has a tub exit opening in the tub bottom, as well as swirl nozzles mounted in a well region for introducing water or a water-air mixture. At least one suction opening is disposed in the wall region, the suction opening and the swirl nozzles being connected by pipes with the suction side and pressure side, respectively, of a pump disposed on the tub. The tub exit opening is provided with an exit connection for a drain line connected to the pump. The pump is disposed on the tub at a level above the exit connection, and a shut-off valve having a controllable operator is disposed in the drain line. It is intended that, whenever the water is changed, preliminary flushing of the internal piping system be performed before operation of the whirlpool tub is started. Due to the many parts and the required control system, this cleaning device is relatively expensive to make and install. Because of the required level of the pump, the cleaning device requires a certain minimum amount of space, which may not always be available. Moreover, during the preliminary flushing process, water is used which comes from the tub interior, allowing dirt to be carried into the piping system. The addition of cleaning agents, as is necessary in cases of germ colonies and similar contamination of the piping system, is not possible unless the time consuming step of specially filling the tub were to be undertaken.